Auto flower topping

Can I top these now or should I wait for the 4th node to start and top it over the 3rd? I’m on day 14 now, super lemon haze.



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I don’t do autos anymore, but when I did and when I topped them, earlier seemed better…

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Many growers will leave autos alone to do their own thing since you never know when they are going to start flowering.

@Nicky knows more about autos that anyone else I know. Hopefully Nicky can chime in with some wisdom.

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Just worried they will get too tall and I’ll run out of light spacing

How much vertical room do you have?

Autos don’t tend to get too tall.

You can top them. But wait another week or so at least until the 6th node is up an open.

Let those roots grow big before you add any stress.

Get some mycos goin, that’ll bump the root growth and thereby reduce the stress.

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What node would you suggest topping over? The 5th?

34” over my pots (accounting for 12” of spacing over plant) due to my false floor and my carbon filter

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I’d cut them at the next node , my current rule is never wait more then 21 days to top a auto or else you run the risk of it flipping before recovery

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So cut over the 4th?

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Yup I believe that’s when I topped this Olympia auto

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That’s what I was thinking and that thing looks :pinched_fingers:t3:

Here’s where I was at 21 days from seed and pistils just starting, but I’d still have been Good to cut for another week or so. Those remaining are nodes 2 & 3, grown to 6N, topped at 4N.


Then here’s day 48

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I would stick with bending not topping autos. Anything that can stunt growth is not a good idea.

Can you explain (bending)

I grow autos and agree with @Pet_de_Chien and @GreenSnek. I do both sometimes, grow to the 5th and top above the 3rd, and sometime grow to the 6th and top above the 4th. Mainly depends on how fast she grows out the gate for me personally.

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Look up low stress training or scrog. There are tons of utube videos and even posts on this forum. Click on the magnifying glass in upper corner of your page and Just type in Lst or scrog. the branches are gently encouraged to go horizontal the nodes keep reaching to the light this creates productive bud sites and keeps the plant low. Your autos have their own timeline as to when they flower so encouraging as any bud sites as you desire while not causing any stress that causes the plant to need recovery time is important. Hope you find the info helpful. Others will probably be more help than me with my limited knowledge @Nicky

This is a Sour D topped and bent over. This allows the side branches to grow vertical towards the light exposing the underlying bud sites


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Last grow ( just completed ) I topped both my Jack Herer Auto’s at 4th Node - great success. The 2 Autos ( still J. Herer’s ) that are now 1 week old I think I will Top 1 and leave the other alone ( other than some minimal LST )

Good Luck !!

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I suggest a FIM

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